Chaotic fight erupts in China over iPhone launch

Erica, 9th May 2011

The launch of the white iPhone 4 in China turned into an all-out brawl that left an Apple Store damaged and forced closed for an entire day.
Violence erupted after a man reportedly jumped the very long line to get his hands on a white iPhone at the Sanlitun, China Apple Store location. Store employees tried to escort the man away from the line, but instead he started shoving the employees, creating a ripple effect of shoving throughout the otherwise orderly queue.

Apple decided to lock the entrance of the store, creating absolute chaos among the eager fans who had been calmly waiting. This created a mad dash to the front of the store, where customers tried to force their way inside, causing the glass door to shatter.

The store remained closed for the rest of the day. CNN reports four people were injured as a result of the ordeal.

"The Apple store in Sanlitun closed for several hours on Saturday after a group outside the store became unruly. The store team acted to protect themselves and our customers by closing the doors and preventing the group from entering. The safety of our customers and our employees is our top priority," an Apple spokesperson confirmed to CNN.

The man who jumped the line is believed to have been a scalper, something that has become prevalent with Apple product launches in China, where it can be difficult to get an official version of any product.

Apple is telling customers who want a white iPhone 4 to place their orders online. Meanwhile, the black iPhone 4 is in good supply.